1. Where can I find information about studying in Germany?
Please inquire first at the German Embassy or Consulate in your home country. The DAAD regional offices and the Goethe Institutes also serve as important contact points.
Of course, you can also find the information you need on the Internet:
2. Which qualifications do I need to present to be admitted to Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in Germany?
• If you are seeking admission to a full degree course, you - as well as German applicants - need to hold a higher education entrance qualification. If your school leaving certificate (higher education entrance qualification) is recognized as equivalent to a German qualification (Abitur), you can be admitted directly to higher education institutions in Germany. If not, you will be required to take an assessment test ("Feststellungsprüfung") in Germany to determine whether you are qualified to study.
• If you are planning to complete a course of postgraduate, extension or supplementary studies, your university degree (E.g. Bachelor degree when you apply for a Master degree programme) must qualify you for admission to such a course.
• If you wish to gain a doctorate in Germany, then you definitely need to hold a university Master degree which is equivalent to a degree gained at a German university. Equivalency is decided by the university in question and you should contact your chosen institution directly (www.higher-education-compass.de). In difficult cases, please contact the German Central Office for Foreign Education (www.kmk.orq/zab/home.htm).
• If you wish to come to Germany to do research, please get in touch with the respective university or research institute to inquire about the conditions which apply.
• Some degree courses, especially in the field of art and music, require applicants to demonstrate their particular artistic talent by sitting an aptitude test ("Eignungsprüfung").
3. Do Germany's HEI offer shorter study programs or summer schools?
It is certainly possible to complete a shorter stay at a German university or college. Research stays or other study periods lasting one or two semesters, such as those offered within the scope of university cooperation agreements, are very popular. A list of the 14,000 and more international cooperation programs involving German HEIs can be found on the website of the Association of Universities and other HEIs in Germany (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz - HRK): http://www.higher-education-compass.de.
Many German HEI also run summer schools. Aside from courses covering aspects of German language, literature and area studies, the range of programs is constantly broadening itself in all subject fields. The DAAD publishes brochures presenting the range of summer courses offered in Germany annually. An online database makes it easier to find the right course.
As soon as you have chosen a topic area, you need to find a professor who will act as your academic supervisor ("Ooktorvater" or "Ooktormutter"). Feel free to use the Internet and e-mail to find and contact a professor. Once you have an academic supervisor for your doctoral thesis, you will generally be required to enrol at the relevant university for a number of semesters and attend certain courses. Please inquire as soon as possible about whether the degree you currently hold qualifies you for a doctoral program. German universities are increasingly creating special programs for foreign doctoral candidates which have been specifically designed to meet the needs and interests of international applicants. These special measures primarily involve preparation, guidance-counselling and the provision of favourable research conditions. Not only can the thesis often be written in English or another world language, but study-integrated German language courses also help students overcome the language barrier. Such programs include:
• PhD support programs
• Binational doctoral arrangements
• Graduate schools
Information on these programs as well as the addresses of all HEIs and all doctoral programs and doctorates can be found on the following website: http://www.higher-education.compass.de
The language skills required will depend on the area in which you wish to gain your doctorate. As a rule, you will need to have some German language skills. In many cases, however, it will also be possible to write the thesis in English or another language. Please inquire at the university in question as to the precise arrangements.
For International Degree Programmes (Bachelor, Master and Doctoral):
German language skills are not an entry requirement for study in many of the international degree courses and programs, since the initial semesters, at least, are instructed in English. However, proof of appropriate English language skills will often be required. Minimum test results required by the German universities are usually:
TOEFL: 220 (Computer-based)
IELTS: 6.0
For Short Research Stays and Summer Schools:
The language requirements for shorter study stays are not subject to any particular requirements. However, knowledge of the German language is always helpful. In many cases, good English language skills will do.
For Degrees Taught Entirely in German:
You will be required to prove that you are proficient in the German language.
TestDaF, a central, standardised test provides an opportunity for international study applicants to take the language proficiency test required for admission to higher education in Germany while they are still in their home country. Generally, TDN4 in all four examination sections is necessary to gain the necessary language qualification to enter any German degree course.
You are exempted from TestDaF if you hold any of the following:
- The "Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz - Zweite Stufe", - which can be taken at German schools abroad.
- The "Deutsche Sprachprufung fuer den Hochschulzugang auslandischer Studienbewerber" (DSH), a German language test for foreign study applicants which can be taken at German universities.
- The "Feststellungsprufung" certificate, which is awarded to students who pass the assessment test.
- The Goethe Institute certificates: "Kleines Sprachdiplom", "GroBes Sprachdiplom" or "Zentrale Oberstufenprufung".
Please always make sure that you do inquire at the German HEI of your choice about any language requirements which you have to meet for your chosen course of study.
• The standard degrees offered by German HEI are the Diplom or the Diplom (FH), for example, the "Diplom-Ingenieur" for engineers or the "Diplom-Sozialpadagoge (FH)" for those graduating in social education, and the Magister Artium (MA). The Staatsexamen is the qualification required for certain state-supervised professions, such as law, medicine, etc. Information on these and all other degrees can be found on the following website: http://www.hiqher-education-compass.de
Germany's universities and colleges award international qualifications, namely Bachelor's and Master's degrees, for many degree courses (more than 1000 courses and programs). Depending on the subject in question, the degrees awarded differ in title as follows:
• A "Bachelor of Arts" (BA) or "Master of Arts" (MA):
Languages and cultural studies, law, economics and social sciences and aesthetics/art history
• A "Bachelor of Science" (BSc) or "Master of Science" (MSc):
Mathematics, natural sciences, medicine and veterinary medicine, agriculture, forestry and nutritional science/dietetics, plus engineering
• A "Bachelor of Business Administration" (BBA) or "Master of Business Administration" (MBA):
Economics and business management
• A "Bachelor of Computer Science" or "Master of Computer Science":
Computer science
• A "Bachelor of Social Work" or "Master of Social Work";
Social work and social education
There are around 350 HEIs located across the whole of Germany. The universities are built on the principle of the "unity of research and teaching" and enjoy an excellent international reputation. In their capacity as modern universities, they combine basic and applied research. Interdisciplinary cooperation agreements with multinational corporations or research institutions are by no means uncommon and certainly serve to strengthen the competitiveness of graduates. Germany's large number of Fachhochschule (FH) institutions (universities of applied sciences) provide high-quality, academic professional training with practice-oriented approach. Apart from the theoretical knowledge which they deliver, these universities of applied sciences also attach great importance to the practical experience which their students gain in companies or social services organisations.
You can choose from the following HEIs:
• Universities, including universities of technology, theological colleges, comprehensive universities and colleges of education, at which more than 1.3 million students are enrolled.
• Colleges of music, art and film, with around 30,000 students.
• Universities of applied sciences, with a total student body in excess of 400,000 students.
8. "Graduiertenkolleg"? A "Graduiertenkolleg" (Graduate College) is a university facility which aims to promote high-quality graduate students in a postgraduate doctoral program. As a rule, a Graduate College will be made up of between 15 and 25 students working for a doctorate in a topic chosen from the college's respective research field or for some other advanced qualification. While at the college, the graduate students are supported by a special course program and additionally receive guidance and counselling from a professorial team.
9. Do I need a visa and what must I do in order to apply for it?
Citizens of EU countries and of Australia, Canada, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the USA do not need a visa.
If you are from any other country, you will need a visa. You must apply to the German Embassy or Consulate in your home country in good time for a student visa. As a rule, you will be required to present your notification of admission to the doctorate program, to the degree course, to a preparatory foundation course ("Studienkolleg"), or to a language test to prove that you will be able to finance your studies in order to receive the student visa.
German Consulate General to Hong Kong and Macao (Visa Application), please click here.
Almost all HEIs in Germany are state-maintained institutions; their costs are almost completely covered by the German government. Therefore students can study with relatively low tuition fees. In most cases, private HEIs do charge for tuition fees.
For detailed information on other fees and costs which you must budget for - such as the semester contribution, mandatory semester ticket, administrative fees - please consult the following website: www.studis-online.de/StudInfo/Gebuehren
The cost of living - which includes rent, food, clothing, laundry, personal hygiene, travel, study materials and other expenses for health insurance, telephone and leisure activities - generally averages between EUR 540. - and EUR 670. - per month.
The following average values provide a rough indication of the breakdown of costs: 30% of your budget will be used for rent, 20% for board, 10% for clothing, laundry and personal hygiene, 10% for travel, and 5% for study materials. The remainder is used for sundry costs.
Please note: The above figures are average values. Depending on your personal situation, your actual costs may differ from these average values. For example, you will need more money in major cities, such as Munich or Hamburg, than in smaller university towns. You will be able to find assistance and advice on all questions relating to economic (financial), social, health and cultural issues from the "Studentenwerk" (student services) by going to the following websites:
HEIs do not normally award scholarships or grants. However, there are numerous organisations to which you can turn regarding the possibility of getting financial support. The most extensive financial support program is provided by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). These scholarships are largely awarded to advanced students and graduates. Other scholarship-awarding organisations are each responsible for setting their own specific award conditions. In most cases, support for a full degree course or program will not be possible. Besides access to a scholarship database, the following websites also provide the addresses of other scholarship-awarding organisations:
German HEIs do not generally operate their own student accommodation. This means that you must look for public and private accommodation that is offered on the market. You will find private accommodation offered on the noticeboards in your university or college, at the "Studentenwerk" (student services), at the offices of the student representations (students' union, etc.) or at the" Akademisches Auslandsamt" (international office). A very promising flat-hunting strategy involves studying the small ads in local newspapers. Those who want to get one of the much sought-after "student hall of residence" places need to let student services know of their interest as early as possible.
If you want to start hunting for a flat from home, you will generally be able to find a link to student services ("Studentenwerk") via the homepage of the university or college of your choice. Once on the "Studentenwerk" website, you can register your interest in a student hall of residence place. If you would rather live in private accommodation, you can try an international flat-sharing agency, such as the "Mitwohnzentrale": http://www.mitwohnzentrale.de
By the way, shared flats ("Wohngemeinschaften" or "WGs" in short) are very popular among students in Germany.
14. Am I allowed to take up paid employment while studying in Germany?
Yes, you will be allowed to take up employment. However, if you are not a citizen of an EU country, or of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you will only be able to work for up to a maximum of 90 days (or 180 half-days) per year without a work permit. Please remember that it is not easy to find a job.
If you are a DAAD scholarship holder and would like to earn some extra money besides studying, you will first need to get permission from the DAAD.
